Grading machine



' E. PRENDERGAST.

GRADlNG MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY10,I920.

Patented July 4, 1922.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l. 57 m I M I a 3 a /6 33 20/ F Q a I o 4 E 0% A G 0% O 27 28 Z 35 Z7 5/ Z6 E. PRENDERGAST GRADING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY10,I920.

Patented July 4, 1922..

2 SHEETSSHEET 2 r 7 f? 6 Z w w mm 5 EDWARD 'PRENDERGAST, or sr. LOUIS, MISSOURI.

GRADING MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 4, 1922.

Application filed May 10, 1920.- Serial No. 380,019.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWARD PRENDERGAST,

a citizen of the United States, and resident of St. Louis and State of Missouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Grading Machines, of which the following is a specification containing a full, clear, and exact description, references being had to accompanying drawings, forming, a part thereof.

' Iy invention relates to improvements in road graders and has for its primary object a road grader in which the cutter blades are formed in sections so that by removing one or more sections from either side roads of various widths can be graded. A further object is to construct a road grader which can be adjusted to grade different widths of road without changing the shape of the frame carrying the cutter blades and which can also be regulated so as to out either a straight, a crowned or a concave road base, and which can also be so adjusted as to leave the shoulders which lead to the draining ditches either horizontal or inclined.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of my device.

Fig. 2 is a front elevation.

Fig. 3 is a side elevation with parts broken away and in sections.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of one of the side members.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged top plan view with one of the cutter blades removed and showing by dotted lines the manner of varying the width of cut.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the frame after the cutter blade has been removed and showing the manner of attaching the filler blocks.

Fig. '7 is a side elevation of the spreader arm showing its adjusting features.

Fig. 8 is a perspective view of one of the filler plates made use of, and 9, 10, 11 and 12 are diagrammatic views showing the various types of grading accomplished by my device.

In the construction of my device I emedge of these channel bars are securely bolted the boxes or channels 16 through which the axles 17 and 18 pass. On the outer ends of these axles the front wheel 19 and rear wheels 20 are secured, these wheels being for the purpose of regulating the depth of cut made. To the upper edge of the channels 14 are also secured the boxes or bearings 21 through which an axle 22 passes, and on this axle and between the members 14 is mounted the sectional roller 23, the purpose of this roller being to smooth out and pack a portion of the graded road. On the rear end of the members 14 is a plate 24 which is provided with a plurality of openings 25, these openings being for the purpose of adjustably securing the frames 26 thereto, these frameshaving journals or boxes 27 secured to their upper faces, which carry the axle 28 and on this axle the sectional roller 29 is secured. This sectional roller has its outer section 30 provided with a projecting flange 31. This projecting flange will have a tendency to prevent side shifting of the grader while being drawn over the road. The wheels 19 and 20 are likewise provided with a projecting rib 32 which is for the same purpose. All of the journals are secured to the frames by means of bolts 33. My object in thus securingthe journals or boxes is to permit the insertion of filler plates 34. This insertion of filler plates will regulate the depth of cut. In order to hold the frame in rigid position the brace rods 35 are employed. These rods extend from one channel to the other and in connection with the plate 24 assist in making the frame rigid and noncollapsible. To the bottom of the channels 14 are bolted a plurality of short channels 36 to which the cutter blades 37 are secured. The channels 14 and 36 are held together by means of bolts 38 and when it is desired to vary the width of the road the desired number of sections 36 can be removed. This is clearly shown in Fig. 5. Secured to the channels 14 are a pair of eyes 39 in which a short shaft 40 is secured and on this shaft 40 and between the eyes 39 is an eye 41 which is held in any desired position on the shaft 40 by means of a set-screw 42. Secured to the e e 41 is a section of angle iron 43 to whic is pivotally attached a plate 44, this pivotal attachment being at the point 45. The end of the plate 44 opposite the pivot 45 is provided with a slot 46 through which a bolt 47 passes. This pivot and slot arrangement is for the purpose of forming the inclined shoulders as shown in 'Figs. 11 and 12, the channel 43 and plate These filler blocks are secured to the channels 14 by means of the bolts 50. On the front of the frame is. secured a perforated plate 51 which is provided with a plurality of perforations 52 so that the grader can be made either to have a straight pull or a downward pull and prevent the point 15 from having a tendency to jump upward. When it is desired to lower the cutting edges or make a deeper cut in the road the bolts 33 are removed and filler plates inserted under the channels or boxes 16, 21 and 27, thus bringing the wheels .19 and 20 and the rollers 23 and 24 farther away from the edge. If found desirable or neoescuttiiig sary may also attach brace rods 35 to thesections 36. These brace rods would, of course, be removed with their respective sections when making a narrow road, while the brace rods secured to the members 14 will constantly remain in position.

It will be noted that by my construction I can grade a narrow road without changing the shape of the frame as has been hitherto the common practice. I amthus enabled to make my frame stronger and more rigid and still at the same time grade roads of various widths. This has been found especially desirable in the construction of roads wherein the center portion is made of concrete or other hard material while dirt is left on either side, because sometimes the concrete portion of the. road is only made wide enough for one vehicle while in others it is made wide enough for two vehicles to pass.

blades adapted to be placed on the frame for regulating the depth of cut, a roller mounted between'the legs of the frame and a pair of rollers mounted at the rear of the frame, said rollers being capable of adjustment with respect to the depth of cut, and an adjustable cutter blade mounted on each side of the rear end of the frame.

3.v A grading machine comprising an A frame, a plurality of sections secured to the under side of the said frame, cutter blades carried by said sections, wheels adjustably carried by the frame and rollers adjustably carried by theframe, a spreader arm secured to the end of each side of the frame.

4. A grading machine comprising an A frame, a plurality of sections secured to the underside of the said frame, cutter blades carried by said sections, wheels adjustably carried by the frame and rollers adjustably carried by the frame, a spreader arm secured to the end of each side of the frame, a cutter blade carried by said spreader arms, said cutter blade being adjustably mounted on one end so as to cut an inclined shoulder. In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification, in the presence of two subscriblng witnesses:

EDWARD PRENDERGAST. Witnesses:

WALTER C. STEIN, F. M. STERN. 

